Metallic car.



PATENTED MAR. 17., 1903.

No. 723,067. E. W. SUMMERS. METALLIC GAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1901.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

,Ewen for;

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO m'nesses, 6%. .1MM

No. 723,067. PATENTED MAR. 17, i903. E. W. SUMMERS.

METALLIC GAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16. 1901.

No MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET z.

THE nonms persas w., PHom.L|T 1o.. WASHINGTON, n. c,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. W. SUMMERS. METALLIC GAR.` APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 1s. 1901.

O- O O l I. AMM. Inf J 1w MODEL.

mi mms cre-Rs co. maro-Lnea, wnwuzmu n c UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR W. SUMMERS, OF AKRON, OHIO.

. METALLIC CAR.

SPEQIIFUATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 723,067, dated March 1'7, 1.903. 'lpplication filed March 16, 1901. Serial No. 51,425. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom` t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR W. SUMMERs, a citizen of the United States,`residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementfin Metallic Cars, of which the following is a-full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being; had to the accompanying drawings."

The object of my-inve`ntion is to provide a sheet-steel'railwaycar which shall combine the characteristics of lightness, strength, and rigiditywit-h those of cheapnessl of construction and durability in service.

With this object in view I have turned my attention to all parts of the car; and the present`invention relates to the construction and support for the floor of the car, to the bracing of the carsides, to the construction and arrangementof the bolster-beam, and the constructionandarrangement of the draftbeam and its connection whereby the draft from one end of the car to the other is carried solely by the sides of the car without the necessity of intermediate longitudinal beams.

The invention may be summarized as consisting in the means which contribute to-the above ends, as hereinafter more fully eX- plained, and denitely set out in the claims.

Ihe drawings clearly illustrate my invention.

Figure l is a top plan of a portion of jt'he car constructed in accordance therewith. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinalsection. Fig. 4 isa vertical transverse section. Fig. 5 uis a fragmentary horizontal section, being onthe line 5 5 of Figs.A 3 and 4. Fig. 6 is l a fragmentary vertical section, being on" the line `6 6 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an end'view of the casting for reinforcingthe draft-beam. y In the drawings, A A represent the sides of the cargB, the floor; C, the end; I), the bolster; E, the draft-beam; F, the draw-head, and .Gr` and H interior and exterior braces for the sides.

Thefloor "consistsof sheet-metal plates b,

.having their transverse edges turned downward and` riveted together, so as to make acontin nous smooth surface on the upper side.

.One or both of these downturned edges is double channel-beam by the abutting edges to contiguous plates, as over the wheel at b4 in Fig. 3. In either event Iy have provided by this means a very efficient and cheap construction, for metal is saved over a construction where a complete channel-beam is employed separate from the floor-plate. The construction, moreover, is stiffer, metal is saved in rivets, and smoothness of the upper side of the floor is obtained.

The sides of the car consist of continuous vertical steel plates riveted together at their ends. The lower edges of these plates are bent inward, as at d, Fig. 4, and are bent downward, as at ct. The portion d comes directly beneath the cross-beams, and these portions are riveted to the bottom flanges b2 of those beams. serves the alinement of the horizontal plate d. The floor-beams are fianged out at their ends, as indicated by b5, and these flanges are secured by rivets to the side of the car. The ends of the floor-plates are anged upward, as at 196, and riveted to the car sides.

The car sides are braced on their inner sides bygusset-braces Gr of peculiar construction. These gussets consist of plates doubled upon themselves and having flanges g, which are riveted to the sides of the car. At their lower ends the double web portions g2 continue down between the Hoor-plates and are there secured by the same rivets which hold the two 4licor-plates together. That floor-4 plate which is simply/flanged is offset, as shown, to allow for this projecting end g2. These gusset-braces are provided along the sides of the car as often as necessary. Iconsider that a brace at each side at about every third door-beam is a satisfactory disposition. The flanges g of these gusset-plates are The projecting flange d' preslightly odset inward to accommodate the upper inturned end h6 of the floor-plates.

On their outer sides the car sides are braced by suitable vertical members, (indicated by H.) These may be of the box-like form shown in Figs. Lt and 5 and secured to the sides of the car by outturned anges h, which are riveted thereto. There are preferably as many of these outer braces foreach side of the car as there are floor-beams.

Those outer braces which are opposite thev gusset-braces on the inside are secured by the same rivets. rlhe upper edge of the car sides are fianged outward and downward, as at a?, and these outturned flanges lie adjacent to the outer sides of the braces H and are riveted to the extreme upper ends thereof, as shown at h2. This. makes a very simple and cheap construction. The sides are all braced and the bracing is connected rigidly with the vdoor-beams. I so dispose the rivet-holes in the gusset-braces and outer braces that the same rivets will do for these braces and for the flanged ends of the Hoor where they overlap. The rivet-holes being disposed in the same manner on each gusset.- brace and exterior brace, each brace may have its holes punched at one time by the same gang-punch.

The boisterbeam (indicated by D) consists of an inverted- U -shaped plate, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the upper surface d. of which constitutesa portion of the floor, to the sides d of which are riveted the downturned flanges b3 of the door-plates, and the lower edges d3 of which are turned outward and riveted to a bottom plate d, and at the cenler of the beam to the usual center bearingplate d5. At their ends d2 the side plates CZ are anged inwardand riveted to the sides of the car above the bolster. An inner brace G is provided similar to the gussets G, eX- cept that the web portion gsdoes not extend through the floor. At its lower end thisl brace has its web flanged outward, as at g4, and riveted to the upper side of the bolster. The flanged edges ot' this brace overlap the edges of the braces H on the outer side of the car, and the same rivets serve to secure the flanges of the inner brace G' and the inner edges of the outer braces H, as shown. This makes a very rigid connection between the bolster and the fioor and sides of the car.

The draft-beam (indicated by E) is also an inverted-U -shaped beam. It has a top plate e, which abuts the under side of the end plat-e b of the floor, to which it is secured by numerous rivets e, these rivets being countersunk on their upper side to leave a smooth upper surface to the floor. The vertical sides e2 ot' this beain are flanged outward at their inner ends `and riveted to the bolster, as shown at es. At the lower edges the beam is flanged outward, as at e4, which lower edges are secured to the flanges d3 of the bolster and to the plate d* and where the draftbeam crosses the end C of the car to the 'lower end thereof by means of the plates c, which are riveted to the inturned anges c at the base of the car end and are also riveted to the flanges e4 of the draft-beam. This draft-beam lies between a pair of angle-bars c2, which are riveted to the car end, and lthe vertical sides e2 of the beam are riveted to the adjacent sides of these angle-bars.

Within the draft-beam is the reinforcing member J, which is preferably a steel casting of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 7. This casting is secured within the draft-beam by the same rivets which secure the beam to the angle-bars c2 andto the outturned flange c3 of the car end and by some of the rivets which secure the draft-beam to the cai-Hoor 117. The casting has strengthening-webs j depending from its upper suface and has inturned flanges j' for confining the draw-head F. This draw-head is of any suitable construction. It rests on the plate jz, carried between the websj3 of the steel casting and abutting the under side of the iangesy, to which the plate may be secured by bolts. The draw-head is guided by the inturned flangesj and by the downwardly-extending ange j* at the forward end thereof. By this construction the draft is carried directly from the draw-head through the steel casting to the draft-beam and from there by the fioorplates 137, which form horizontal girders, to the sides ofthe car, by which it is transmitted to the other end. This is an important feature, as it obviates the necessity oflongi- .tudinal beams under the car, lightening the car, and leaving the base unobstructed,should it be desired to provide it with-dumping features.

It will be observed that in the above-described car I have reduced the weight without sacrificing strength and rigidity by obviating longitudinal beams, by making the door-beams continuous with the floor-plates, and, furthermore, by so placing the parts that the saine rivets serve for several pur-` poses. This reduction of weightis a very important factor, since the expense of hauling a load is dependent upon the weight thereof, and the lighter the car the greater tne proportion which the paying weight-that is, the freight carried-bears to the `whole weight, which means that for the same capacity the efficiencyof the car increases with its lightness.

l. A metallic car having a floorbeam formed by turning down the edge of a oorplate, the eXtreme edge ot' said downturned portion being turned laterally, and said doorbeam being secured at its ends to the sides of the car.

2. A car having metallic sides and oorplates which have end fianges riveted to the sides of the car and have downturned transverse edges making cross-beams', the ends of IOS IIO

\ said downturned portions `being attached `to substantially the sides of the car, whereby the floor may be entirely supported by the sides.

3. 'A car having its floor-surface in a plane parallel with the track, said floor having `plates extending from side to side and provided with depending flanges exl tending transversely of the car, and supported on the car sides.'

4. In a metallic car, a floor-beam formed by turning the edge of a floor-plate `downward and then inwardto make a beam of a channel shape in cross-section.

5. A floor construction for a car which consists of floor-.plates bent downward at their meeting edges, at least oneof said edges being formed into a channel-shaped beam, the ends of said beam being secured to the sides of the car beneath the floor, and the ends of said plates being flanged and secured to the sidesof the car.

6. A floor construction for a car consisting of metallic plates abutting at their edges and V i secured together by downturned ilanges, one

. and braces on the inner sides of the car having flanges secured to the car sides and extending downward through the floor and set cured to a downturned flange.`

8. A metallic car having interior braces connecting its sides and floor, said braces consisting of the double gusset-plate having side flanges, the flanges being riveted tothe sides i of the car and the web'extending down through the floor `ot' the car between downturned llanges of thetloor-plates, there being rivets passing through such downturned flanges and through such web. f

9. In a metallic car, the combination with A the sides of the car and the bolster, of interior braces in the form of flanged gussetplates, saidllanges being riveted to thesides of the car and there being lower flanges on the brace which are secured to the bolster. 10. In a metallic car, the combination, with external stiffeners, of sides which at the top are turned outward and then downward, the outwardly-extending part crossing over and resting upon the stiener and the downwardly-extended part being riveted to the outer side of the stiffener.

11. In a metallic car, the `combination of sides which at thetop are turned outward and A then downward, and braces on the outer side of the car which braces have their outer sides at their upper ends substantially flat and there secured to the downturned edge of said top.

12. In ametallic car, the combination, with sides which at their top are turned outward and then downward, of stiEening-braces on the outer side of the car, which braces have their outer sides substantially ilat and extending between such downturned portion and the outturned portion and contacting with each portion so as to form a support for the outturned llange, said outer sides being riveted to the downturned portion and the remaining sides of said stiffeners being omitted at the upper end to allow access to such rivets.

13. In a metallic car,the combination of sides having their lower edges turned inward, and floor-beams extending crosswise of the car from side to side and `lying above said inturned edges, said floor-beams being secured to the sides of the car, the sides extending above the floor. .i

14. In a metallic car, the combination of sides having their lower edges turned inward,

and. floor-beams extending crosswise of the car from side to side and having bottom llanges abutting said inturned edges and secured thereto.

15. In a metallic car, the combination with the car sides having their lower edges turned inward, and cross-beams extending crosswise of the car from side to side and above such inturned edges, said cross-beams being flanged at their ends and secured to the car sides and being flanged at their lower edges and there secured to the inturned edges of the sides.

16. A metallic carhavingits sides composed of longitudinal plates turned inward .at their lower edges and then 'downward to form longitudinal braces.

17. In a metallic car, the combination with the car sides having their lower edges turned inward and then downward to form a longitudinal brace, and cross-beams between the sides of the car and above such inturned edges.

18. In a metallic car, a bolster-beam consisting of an inverted- U -shaped plate, the upper portion of which forms a portion of the floor-surface of the car.

19. In a metallic car, a metallic bolsterbeam in the form of an inverted U combined with floor-plates having downturned flanges 4riveted to the sides of said U, the upper surface ot' the bolster-beam forming a portion of the floor-surface.

20. A metallic car having sides in the form of plate-girders, a horizontal floor extending from one side of the car to the other, and floorbeams extending across` the car for support- Aing said floor, a pair of bolsters secured at their ends to said plate-girders, a draft-beam at each end of the car terminating at the corresponding bolster, the load-carrying iloor at each end of the car being secured to the draftbeam and to the plate-girders and being adapted to carry the stress from the draft-beam to the girders, whereby the buflng and tugging IOO and hauling forces may be transmitted from one end of the car to the other by said plategirders.

21. In a metallic car having its load-carrying floor substantially parallel with the cartrack, a draft-beam at the end thereof, and a horizontal girder adapted to transmit the buffing and tugging forces directly therefrom to the car sides, combined with transverse floor-beams reaching from one side of the car to the other.

22. In a metallic car, a pair of bolsters, a pair of draft-beams each extending inward from an end of the car to the proximate bolster and terminating thereat, the only longitudinalbuffing and tuggingmembers between the bolsters being at the sides of the car, and horizontal plates contacting with said draftbeams and secured thereto and serving both to communicate thev bufng and tugging strains to the sides of the car and as a portion of the load-carrying floor of the car.

23. In a metallic car, a draft-beam in the form of an inverted U and a plate extending across said beam and riveted to the upper portion thereof and constituting a part of the load-carrying floor-surface of the car.

24. The combination with a bolster extending across the car and having an upper surface forming -a portion of the load-carrying tioor thereof, a draft-beam at right angles to the bolster, and a Hoor-plate secured to the draft-beam and to the bolster.

25. In acar, the combination of plate-girder sides having inside stiffeners and floor-beams extending crosswise of the car from side to side and secured to the said stilfeners, said plate-girder sides extending above the substantially horizontal door.

26. In a car, the combination of longitudinal side-supporting members, aiioor, bolsters, continuous transverse floor members, and draft and buftlng members at the ends of the car each disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and connected at its opposite sides to said side-supporting members, substan' tially as set forth.

27. In a car, the combination of longitudinal side plate-girders, a door, bolsters, continuous transverse floor members, and draft and bufng plates at the ends of the car each disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and connected at its opposite side edges to the lower end portions of said side girders, substantially as set forth.

28. In a car, the combination of side-supporting members, a floor, bolsters connected by said side-supporting members and the iioor of the car, end sills, and a draft and buffing plate arranged in a substantially horizontal plane between each end sill and the adjacent bolster and connected directly to said end sill and bolster and connected to the said sidesupporting members between the end sill and bolster, substantially as set forth.

29. In a car, the combination of plate-girders, side-supporting Vmembers, av floor connecting said side-supporting members, and draft and bufting members in the form of plate-girders each arranged with its web-plate in a substantially horizontal plane, andconnected at its ends to the plate-girder sidesupporting members, substantially as set forth.

30. In a car, the combination of plate-girder side-supporting members, a floor connecting said side-supporting members, draft and buffing plates at opposite ends of the car each arranged in a substantially horizontal plane and connected to said plate-girder side-supporting members, and draft-rigging attachments suspended from and attached directly to said draft and bufling plates, substantially as set forth.

3l. In a car, the combination of longitudinalside-supporting members, bolsters, a draft and buffng member between each bolster and the adjacent end of the car, and continuons transverse floor members between the bolsters extending continuously from one sidesupporting 'member to the other, substantially as set forth.

32. In a car, the combination of platp-girder side-supporting members which carry the entire Weight of the cross floor-beams and their loads between the bolsters, and draft and buffmg plates at the ends of the car each disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and connected to the lower end portions of the side-supporting members, substantially as set forth.

33. In a car, the combination of side-supporting members which carry the entire weight of the cross floorbeams and their loads between the bolsters, end sills, bolsters, and draft and bufng plates each arranged in a substantially horizontal plane between an end sill and the adjacent bolster and connected directly to said end sill and bolster and connected to the said side-supporting members between the end sill and bolster, substantially as` set forth.

3ft. In a car, the combination of plate-girder side-su pporting members, and draft and buffing members in the form of plate-girders each having a continuous web-plate arranged in a substantially horizontal plane and extending from one side-supporting member to the other and connected at its ends to the plate-girder side-supporting members, substantially as set forth.

35. Inacar, the combination of plate-girder side-supporting members which carry the entire weight of the cross floor-beams and their loads between the bolsters, draft and buffing plates at opposite ends of the car each arranged in a substantially horizontal plane and connected to said plate-girder side-slipporting members, and draft-rigging attachments suspended from and attached directly to said draft and buffing plates, substantially asset forth.

IIO

` 36. In a car having a substantially horizontend above the Hoor, and Hoor-beams extendtalmetallio Hoor, the combination of plateinf,r continuously crosswise of the car from girder sdesupporting members which extend side to side between the lower portions of the above the H0013` anda floor-beam between the side `plate-girders. t 5 n 5 holsters extendingfcontinuously crosswise of In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my the car from side to side, said Hoor-beam havsignature. in the presence of two witnesses.

- ing its upper edge adjacentlto the oorsur f face plates i EDGAR W. SUMMERS.

37. In a, oar having a substantially horizon- Witnesses:

' zo tallnetallieoor, the `combination of plate- ALBERT H. BATES,

grder side-supporting members which eX- H.' M. WISE. 

